Figured I’d post something on a lighter note than the current news…
For the past year or so I’ve been in a friendly game with the Starbucks computer and their reward system. I want to maximize my rewards, they want to maximize sales so like many stores they dangle rewards as an incentive to get people to shop. And so we each pursue our own strategy. I’m curious if anyone else is doing the same?
I’m an occasional Starbucks customer, once a week or less. Normally you get 2 stars per dollar spent, but occasionally they email targeted offers to try to get you to come in more often.
I usually get an Americano, so they’ll send me an offer that says if I just buy two Americano’s within a certain 5 day timespan they’ll give me an extra 100 points. Sure, I’ll do that! Seeing that I’ve risen to the bait I’ll get another offer a week or two later. Now they want 3 Americano’s within 7 days and the offer is only 75 stars. They’re weaning me off big rewards, but I’ll go along.
Since their algorithm thinks it’s turned me into a steady customer it wants me to go deeper into their menu. Comes another offer, but this time I need to buy the Americano and something else such as a pastry. I always pass on this. Hmm, thinks the algorithm, he’s not a food person (although I’m sure the programmers can’t understand how anyone can pass up a pastry that’s been in a plastic wrapper for a few weeks before being put in the display case). Let’s get him to try our high-calorie drinks! So in comes an offer to try any two Frappuccino’s for the bonus reward.
I never do. For one I don’t want these drinks, and secondly I know that once I become a “regular” customer the extra rewards go away. At this point the algorithm gives up on me and I give up on weekly purchases, going back down to every week or two. A couple of months go by, then a new branch of the algorithm must kick in. Lets find our old customers who aren’t coming by that much anymore and see if we can bring them back. We’ll start by trying to get them to buy their usual order more frequently. And the cycle renews…
Anyone else playing a reward game with Starbucks or other store?
Same. Once in awhile I’ll get a big 150 point reward if I haven’t been there in a while.
Another question. What do you think is a good use of rewards? At Christmas I bought a $20 travel mug for 400 points. Not sure if that was a good use though
I go to Starbucks maybe once or twice a year. Then I have to give some poor cashier the side eye when s/he cheerfully tries to educate me on their system.
Me: I’d like a small latte, please.
Cashier: You’d like a Complicated-Nonsensical-Starbucks-Specific name for a small latte, right?
Me: No, just a small, please.
This may be repeated a few times. After which the cashier then silently examines me to determine if I’m very slow or have just arrived on the planet. To end the discussion which I find frustrating and pedantic, I silently offer $5 in the hopes s/he will take it, stop trying to get me to speak their language and just bring a merciful end to the conversation. At that point I don’t even care if any coffee changes hands.
Repeat in six months or so, basically whenever there’s an unavoidable group meeting or something important I can’t schedule elsewhere happens in Starbucks. I’m hoping to go my entire life without learning if whatever it is I drink is a SuperVentiFragelistic or whatever. Guessing I’m not the target market for the rewards system.
I have one “thing” where I get reward points that can be used on magazine subscriptions, airline points, various gift cards… the only thing I have any remote use for is Starbucks gift cards. So I earn enough points to get a $50 credit about every 3-4 months. So it’s already free. And I only spend it on double-star day (to get my coffee to make at home) or when they send me an offer on something I might consider getting as an occasional treat. Then I use the reward stars (which are free on-top-of-free), mostly, on a box-lunch or maybe a breakfast sandwich, since I normally make my coffee at home. (It used to be a no-brainer to get food rather than coffee, when all rewards used the same number of stars, but now there are different tiers for different items.)
I haven’t seen any decline in the offers regardless of how often I buy something.
Also - watch for their contests. About twice a year, they have a contest where you can get 2 entries a day without purchase by filling out a form on their site. Those are usually good for a few extra stars and maybe a free “instant win” item over the course of the contest.
Good for you.